A man wanted on felony warrants from Greene County was arrested by Cocke County deputies after he fled and then tried to climb a tree to evade arrest.
Deputy Jacob Damron of the Cocke County Sheriff’s Department said that he saw Keenan Mica Murphy of Cosby pass him on the Cosby Highway around 10:30 AM Tuesday. Damron’s report said he activated his lights and turned to follow Murphy, who then began to pass cars on a double yellow line and endangering other motorists. Murphy continued to evade officers, reaching speeds of 85 miles per hour on county roads, until he reached a gravel road near the Cocke/Sevier County line. Deputy Damron said that Murphy’s tires had gone flat and his vehicle was unable to continue, at which point Murphy bailed from his car and ran into the woods.
Cocke County deputies searched the area and found Murphy around 30′ up hiding in a tree. Murphy complied with officer’s commands to come down where he was taken into custody.
Murphy’s Greene County charges include five aggravated assault warrants, two domestic assault charges, one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He now faces charges in Cocke County of resisting stop-frisk-halt commands, speeding, reckless driving and evading arrest.
